Smoak has more multi-hit games than one-hit games since his early-July promotion to Oklahoma City, but not enough of either. He’s still trying to find a Triple-A groove, hitting .133/.243/.233, and though his walk total is impressive (eight in 60 at-bats), he’d gone six straight games without working a base on balls until drawing one last night.

Yes, he’s still one of the best prospects in baseball, but Smoak is batting just .167/.263/.258 since being promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City earlier this month. Smoak, 22, went 3-for-6 last night, but those three singles only pushed him up to 6-for-30 with two extra-base hits and one walk in the last seven days.

I’m Jim Parque, former major-league pitcher, and I took human growth hormone. I know that in admitting to this, I am a cheater, a villain and nothing more than a drug user in the eyes of the media and some fans. I cannot and will not ever speak for other players, as this is my story, my life and my career. The decisions I made are mine to deal with, and I take full responsibility for them. They are decisions I’m not proud of, decisions that haunt me to this day, but decisions you might have made if presented with the same circumstances and pressures. For those of you who would have made the right decision, you have my utmost respect, and we all could learn from your strength and integrity. But in making this admittance, I am opening up the real Jim Parque. I wasn’t paid for this story, nor am I looking to benefit from it. I live a simple life in Washington state — hunting, fishing, hacking away on the golf course and coaching kids. The days of pitching in front of 50,000 fans are long gone, but I am content being a husband and father to my two beautiful daughters. Through my story, I hope fans will understand the man behind the uniform, the regret I live with every day and the lesson kids can learn. …

After watching Carlos Torres pitch six innings of three-run ball Wednesday night in his major league debut, it was easy to see why several professional scouts and Brian Anderson thought Torres was worthy of a shot in the majors. And after Torres didn’t allow himself into being goaded into declaring that he deserved another start, the Sox have found themselves with no worse than a pitcher who can help fortify their pitching staff in September. Torres, who spent 5 1/2 years in the Sox’s minor league system, expressed his appreciation for the Sox just to give him the chance. …